Conventional voice products, such as headsets, telephone sets, voice accessories, video conferencing equipment and the like, often receive input sound signals from various sound sources and generate a corresponding sound signal output. Typically, microphone systems in such voice products may operate in a limited sound range largely dependent upon a sensitivity range of the transducer used by the microphone system. On the lower end of this sensitivity range, the transducer may be limited by a minimum noise level of the transducer; and, on the higher end of the same sensitivity range, the transducer may be limited by a maximum sensitivity value at which the transducer is overloaded by the amplitude of the input sound signal. In order to maintain the input sound signal within the sensitivity range of the physical transducer, various gain mechanisms may be utilized by a microphone unit.
Applicant has identified a number of deficiencies and problems associated with conventional microphone systems. Through applied effort, ingenuity, and innovation, many of these identified problems have been solved by developing solutions that are included in embodiments of the present disclosure, many examples of which are described in detail herein.